Nation

April 21, 2006|By From news services.

5 feet of snow falls in blizzard

Residents in the northwestern Plains on Thursday started to dig out from this week's spring blizzard, which dumped up to 5 feet of snow, cut power and threatened to flood low-lying areas. The heaviest snow was reported in Lead, S.D., where the weather service reported 59.4 inches. More than 4,000 customers remained without power Thursday in the Dakotas.

Teens arrested in school plot

Five teenage boys accused of plotting a shooting rampage at their Riverton, Kan., high school on the anniversary of the Columbine massacre were arrested Thursday after a message authorities said warned of a gun attack appeared on myspace.com. Police found guns, ammunition, knives and coded messages in the bedroom of one suspect, police said.

$5B Teflon lawsuit sought

Owners of Teflon-coated pots and pans in 15 states are seeking to have their cases combined in a $5 billion class-action lawsuit claiming DuPont failed to disclose possible health risks from using the non-stick cookware. The lawsuits claim DuPont said for years that Teflon was safe even though its own studies showed the material could become toxic.

Skilling wraps up testimony

Former Enron Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling ended lengthy testimony in his federal fraud trial in Houston on Thursday by denying a new government accusation--that he may have cheated on his taxes. Skilling said he didn't recall backdating a $10,000 gift check to an ex-girlfriend to avoid paying taxes on it in 1998, and he told jurors that he has heard nothing from the IRS about his tax returns.

AND FINALLY

You old fruitcake, you haven't changed a bit!

Lance Nesta of Waukesha, Wis., did what many people do when receiving a fruitcake--he set it aside, only to rediscover it later. Much later. Actually, 40 years later in his mother's attic. Nesta said that while he won't dream of eating it, he was amazed that "it hadn't changed at all," and that it still was in its original tin and paper wrapping.